a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting device which employs a plurality of light-emitting diodes as light sources.
Vehicle lighting devices of this type are used, for example, in tail stop lamps of rear combination lamps or high mount stop lamps.
b) Description of the Prior Art
For example, vehicle lightning devices of this type include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,179 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,474.
The former discloses a vehicle lighting device comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (19) arranged in an array on one or a plurality of printed circuit boards (18). The latter discloses a vehicle lighting device comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (12) arranged in a matrix on one circuit board (20).
What are critical to vehicle lighting devices of this type are as follows. The items of importance are that the light-emitting diodes should be arranged in place relative to the circuit board, and that the leads of the light-emitting diodes and the conductive traces of the circuit board are reliably connected to each other via solder.